Misbah, Younis put Pakistan in lead

Pakistan v Sri Lanka, 1st Test, Abu Dhabi, 2nd day

Tea Pakistan 251 for 3 (Younis 103*, Misbah 74*) lead Sri Lanka 204 by 47 runs

The three times Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan have batted together against Sri Lanka, they have added more than hundred runs every time. The third instance, today, came at a crucial juncture when the game was in the balance and ensured Pakistan took a firm grip of the Abu Dhabi Test with a vital first-innings lead. During the course, Younis went past his 23rd century - and sixth against Sri Lanka - while Misbah, batting on 74, appeared set for his fifth. 

Sri Lanka had a 121-run buffer when Pakistan's third wicket fell and with run rate taking a dip just before lunch, a wicket or two would have given Sri Lanka a chance to limit Pakistan. However, just as the lunch transformed the Pakistan bowlers on the first day, it had a transformational effect on their batsmen today.

Pakistan's two most experienced batsmen had scored 38 in 15.4 overs before lunch in a typically slow and solid manner but switched gears in the second session to add 130 runs in 33 overs. It pepped up a crawling innings to an energetic rate of 3.17 at tea. Younis served the first statement, punching a length delivery firmly, and in the air, through mid-off in the second over after lunch. Misbah followed soon, forcefully driving Sachithra Senanayake through wide mid-on. 

Soon Pakistan crossed 150 and Sri Lanka brought Rangana Herath back. It was to be of no avail as Younis used his feet smartly - either to move forward or to move deep into the crease - to disturb the bowler's lines. At the other end, Suranga Lakmal kept leaking runs: First, he was hit for consecutive boundaries by Misbah, then two overs later, for two more by Younis, the second four bringing up the batsman's half-century. 

Sri Lanka then followed up with spin at both ends, but that only resulted in more runs as neither spinner was allowed to settle. Pakistan made a quick dash towards the Sri Lankan score of 204 and went past it in the 65th over when Younis launched Herath for a six and four off consecutive deliveries. Younis, who had been keeping pace with Misbah before the strikes, took a lead and zoomed ahead, using the sweep and the cut shot to manoeuver the ball. Three overs before tea, he carved Herath for another boundary through covers to bring up his century. 

Misbah dragged his excellent run of 2013 to the new year and kept the pace up at the other end too, even using the reverse sweep a few times, but was lucky to survive a chance when he was on 70 as Mahela Jayawardene, anticipating a sweep, ran across from slip, but dropped a simple chance after the ball came straight to him. 

The afternoon session though exposed Sri Lanka's bowling frailties as even Herath appeared bereft of ideas on a flat pitch, eroding the little successes they had in the morning session. In the first hour of the day, Kaushal Silva had dived full-length and low to his left to pluck a stunning catch to dismiss the in-form Mohammad Hafeez early in the day, while Ahmed Shehzad was forced into playing a tame pull by a perfect bouncer from Shaminda Eranga. Those were the only times the bowlers generated a chance.